Thursday, August 15, 2019

Weekend Preview Aug 17- Recap Aug 10 and Lower Tier Preview

I've put together a hastily put together season preview for the lower tier guys that I can remember. Kinda rushed through so hopefully didn't miss too much.



DayTimePlayerClubOpponentTV
Saturday9:30 AMJeong Woo YeongFreiburgMainzFox Match Pass
Saturday9:30 AMKwon Chang HoonFreiburgMainzFox Match Pass
Saturday9:30 AMJi Dong WonMainz@FreiburgFox Match Pass
Saturday10:00 AMKi Sung YuengNewcastle@Norwich CityNBC Gold
Saturday12:30 PMSon Heung MinTottenham@Man CityNBC
Saturday1:00 PMLee Kang InValenciaReal SociedadBeIn
Saturday2:00 PMHwang Ui JoBordeauxMontpelierBeIn Play
Sunday11:00 AMSuk Hyun JunReimsStrasbourgBeIn Play
Sunday2:30 PMLee Seung WooVeronaCremoneseNone



Jeong Woo Yeong-- Came on as a late sub, but with it being level, did play extra time in a win. We'll see if Jeong gets thrown into starting XI or they take it slowly given adaptation to top tier play.


Kwon Chang Hoon-- Though he did return to training before the cup match, wasn't quite ready to play. He's trained all week so a better chance of making squad.


Ki Sung Yueng-- A surprise scratch off the squad as Bruce has the brilliant idea to have four backups for two CBs. This decision came back to bite Newcastle as Shelvey got hurt, and was more problematic when he took off Longstaff leaving them lacking in CM. I'm sure Bruce learned his lesson but whether its Ki or Matt Longstaff who fills the bench spot(s), I'm not sure.


Son Heung Min-- Still suspended. How anticlimactic. Sigh.


Lee Kang In-- He's been struggling with a knock. Now is it a "knock" or knock? I don't know but he's been training individually which puts the weekend in question.


Hwang Ui Jo-- Started and played over an hour in a big loss. The reports were not great on his play but haven't not watched, can't really opine.


Suk Hyun Jun-- Came on off the bench and scored the second goal. Like his other goal this preseason, a fairly straightforward one where an attacker from behind made a good run and crossed to Suk who was wide open and could easily slot past goalie. Probably not enough to change his role but perhaps solidifies backup striker job.


Lee Seung Woo-- Some indecisive chatter as to whether LSW goes or stays. Based on preseason, he's been among first offensive options off the bench so I expect that to continue. We will see if that's enough of a role for him to avoid going down a tier, or conversely marginal enough that Hellas Verona would let him go if a small bid came in from another top tier side.


Ji Dong Won-- Still out injured.


Lower Tier Previews

This list isn't inclusive... I lose track of players as the number keep increasing and sometimes news is really hard to gather. That said, I subscribed to the overpriced Fox Match Pass and perhaps I'll do ESPN+ which cover BL2 and Segunda Division respectively, albeit in limited coverage so hopefully I'll get a better glimpse of those guys.


Paik Seung Ho -- Girona (Segunda Division)-- PSH didn't seem to have the best season, at times being a bench guy for a third tier side, and yet he also made 3 appearances in La Liga for their parent club (at the time) and seemed to mostly be limited by non-EU quota. The dual relegation and subsequent separation of Girona and Peralada appears to have worked in PSH's favor. Girona loses the stream of Man City players looking for 1st tier play and there's no parking PSH in the 4th tier.


Lee Chong Yong -- Bochum (Bundesliga 2)-- Had a decent year all things considered, joining late to a new league. He regularly started and chipped in with a goal and a handful of assists playing primarily in the CAM role. How long he wants to toil away in a lower tier at a likely modest salary will probably be the biggest question for the season, but for now, little impetus to change, and similarly his role should remain.


Lee Jae Sung -- Holstein Kiel (Bundesliga 2)-- After an explosive start where it looked like LJS, an attacking midfielder, was going to dominate the league, LJS cooled off quite a bit though like LCY, he remained an integral part of Holstein Kiel's attack. Of course, part is the limited resources that Holstein Kiel have in general, vs. some of the large clubs who fell down a tier last year. There was very sketchy talk of Belgian interest in LJS, but it died fairly quickly so for now, LJS will remain here where he's doing well, but maybe not enough to warrant a move up to the top tier.


Seo Young Jae -- Holstein Kiel (Bundesliga 2)-- Kind of a surprise move for a left back who hardly played for a relegated side (from BL2->3), though cheap, he moved to join Lee Jae Sung. He had some glimpses last season but also some visible faults so we'll see if he can move beyond backup left back. He appears to be limited to the left which doesn't help his cause as he's come in and out of the bench already.


Park Yi Young -- St Pauli (Bundesliga 2)-- PYY had a strange year where he had a variety of roles from starting FB, to DM, to often out of the squad or playing with the reserves. That pattern has continued this season, where he was a bit of a surprise starting RB, separated a shoulder resulting in him being at fault for equalizing goal, and now playing with reserves this weekend. From what I've seen, he's got decent size and a DM's skillset, but his defensive lapses hamper his ability to play either spot well but it seems managers keep giving him chances so hopefully he figures things out.


Hwang Hee Chan -- Salzburg (Austria)-- HHC had a rough season last year, where injuries and form on loan at 2nd tier Hamburg meant a return to Salzburg in an uncertain state. On a side that routinely wins by large margins, league performances are fairly meaningless to prospective buyers and so CL may be the only way of rebuilding his market... but will he be top XI guys to do so?

Kim Jung Min -- Salzburg II (Liefering) (Austria 2)-- Seemed to earn his way to the starting LM by the middle of the season after what appeared to be a slow start. He's not been playing as much this season but perhaps thats due to a knock, as he did start at the top of a midfield diamond recently and also was with first team bench for a friendly. It's getting near the time for him to start making a push to first team rather than linger in relative anonymity after a meh U20 WC showing.


Oh In Pyo -- LASK (Austria) -- I know very little about him as the club is pretty quiet media wise... seemed to be on the margins of the bench but signing a permanent deal despite an apparently significant injury is a positive sign, despite the short-term absence.


Lee Seung Won -- St Pauli U23 (Bundesliga 2)-- LSW has captained the reserve team this season and also has done a few camps with the first team. He appears to be progressing well, but also still hasn't really had a real chance at the first team.


Cheon Seong Hoon -- Augsburg/Augsburg U23-- Seems to be doing well as he participated in summer camp with the first team, and seems to be splitting training time between the two sides. He did look quite lost when he did come on with the first team, so I don't expect him to have a big role there yet but Finnbogason is hurt again, and so we'll see if forces will work in his favor.


Choi Kyoung Rook -- Karlsruhe (Bundesliga 2)-- Making the switch to a third division side didn't quite pan out for CKR, who started off in a decent backup attacking role, before struggling to even get on as a sub. Even now, it seems he's being tried in a few different roles to get more value out of his skills. It was a good club ride through promotion and they've not dramatically changed the squad for the higher level, so we'll see if CKR can regain a more significant role.


Park Jung Bin -- Formerly Viborg (Denmark)-- Park Jung Bin recovered from a torn ACL and immediately jumped into a starting role. The bright start turned negative with some injuries and then being on the bench often leading to his contract not being renewed. Not sure how much was getting back up to speed from major injury, but he did parlay his career into trials at Troyes and Nimes. The latter seemed to be turning out well, with trial extended and some assists and goals, but Nimes went elsewhere. He did have a groin injury which may have caused some hesitation. We'll see if interest picks back up when he's healthy, but disappointing end to a hopeful trial.


Ahn June Hyuk -- Villarreal C/B -- AJH appeared to be on a similar track, albeit slightly less prominent, to Lee Kang In, progressing through Villarreal's youth system(s including Roda). And things still appear to be going positively as he's done summer training with the B team. That said, in what I've seen, its a bit of a tough stretch for a smaller player in the lower tiers where physicality can be so important. We will see how much time he spends between the two teams.


Yang Jae Woo -- Ebro (Spain 3rd Tier) -- Didn't quite turn out as well as AJH on a similar path, never returning to Villarreal and instead staying with Roda, and Juv B team at that, and now signs on with Ebro.  Given lack of appearances with the side so far, I am assuming that he's on something like a reserve team but kind of a mystery when you go down so low. EDIT: I think he signed with their Juvenil team.


Kevin Harr / Choi Min Soo -- Hamburg U23-- He's moved up to the reserve team so we'll see if he gets to keep progressing.


Hwang Seom Gyu -- Extremadura B -- He's trained this summer with the first team (a 2nd tier Spanish side) so seems to be doing well. He played on the wings there, though what little I've seen of him with the B side this summer has been at CM.


There are some more players (e.g. Park Kyu Hyun at Werder Bremen U23) but even less familiar with them and I'd be lying to you about my knowledge if I were to say anything more.